25 to Always
by Maripics
Summary: My advent fic. I'm a tad late, but I'll make up for lost time, promise.
1. Chapter 1

Day One

"Kate, wake up." Rick said, shaking her gently. The smell of fresh coffee filled the room, and Kate was absolutely sure it was the best smell in the universe. "Come on, Kate. It's December!"

"Castle, go back to sleep." Kate said, still not opening her eyes. It was a Sunday, a chilly one, and she had no intention of waking up early.

"Kate! It's advent season! Get up!" Rick demanded. He was still shaking her, keeping his body close to hers.

"Richard fucking Castle, shut the hell up and let me sleep." She said, throwing in as many curse words as possible.

"You wanna do this the hard way?" He threatened. It was almost nine, and he had been up since before six preparing her gift. It was a relatively hard one, but not harder than finding out what to give her every day, for twenty five days. "Okay, it's your call." He said, getting off the bed and putting his flip flops on. "You give me no choice but…" without saying anything else, he scooped her off the bed, causing her to awake and give him a death stare. Quickly, he picked up a blanket from the bed and threw it over her.

"Castle, put me down, now!" She demanded, even though she was not really resisting to it. It felt good, to be in his arms, and she was enjoying the ride. But she was not giving up that easily.

"No can do." He said, carrying her towards the dining room. "I'm gonna need you to close your eyes, please." He asked.

"Castle…" She whined. She was way too tired for this. Saturday nights were usually murder-filled ones, and last night was no different. She got home from the precinct at around two, and needed some more sleep.

"Please." He asked.

"Okay." She said, closing her eyes. It surprised her, really. How long he could carry her. Not that she was exactly heavy, but her frame did not allow her to be feather-weighted. She could feel him carrying her inside the room, and then setting her down on a chair. She could smell coffee, amazing coffee, and it was close.

"You can open your eyes, now." He said, standing next to the table. And then she saw it. Dozens of coffee cups, each one with a sentence. She couldn't really read all of them, but she was eager to sip the liquid inside each and every one of them.

"Wow. Castle. What are those?" Kate asked, picking up a random cup from the table, which read _I don't hang around you just to annoy you. I don't ride out to murder scenes in the middle of the night to satisfy some morbid curiosity. If that's all this was, I would've quit a long time ago._ She remembered the say he told her that, almost two years ago. And then she understood. Each coffee mug held a sentence, a sentence import to their relationship. But, how? There were at least twenty coffee mugs in there. Did he really remember all that much? "I…"

"Awesome, right?" He said, giving the conversation a lighter mood.

"Yes. Amazing. And wow, strong." She said, after swallowing some of the coffee in the cup.

"The coffee inside the mug represents the sentence. The one in this mug is a Ristretto, because the phrase was a strong one. Get it?"

"Yes. It's perfect." She said, picking up a second mug from the table _We can always just cuddle, Castle _It read. The letters in this mug were red, which she assume to be an indicative of the fact that she was the one to day that, not him. "Sweet." She said, describing both the taste of the coffee and the sentence.

"Café-au-lait, my darling." He mocked, sitting on a chair next to her. "Go on."

She picked up the third mug, which held _Most people come up against a wall, they give up. Not you. You don't let go. You don't back down. That makes you extraordinary. _A smile appeared on her face at the remembrance of the day he told her that. She slowly drank the coffee, wondering what it would taste like "Is this…? Is this Irish coffee?"

"Yes. Unexpected and amazing, just like you." He said, grabbing her left hand. They smiled at each other, him loving the fact that she was enjoying the surprise and she, thinking this was the sweetest gesture ever.

She picked up another cup, reading _Shut the front door! _She chuckled. She did love that phrase. The coffee tasted the way she expected, sweet and smooth. She looked at him, but didn't say anything.

"Cappuccino."

The next cup read _Your secret's safe with me. _And the coffee had a comforting taste.

Seventh cup read _Every morning I bring you a cup of coffee, just so I can see a smile on your face. Because I think you are the most remarkable, maddening, challenging, frustrating, person I've ever met. _In tiny letters, and the coffee had an extremely strong taste.

After tasting each and every single one of the coffees, she recapitulated the sentences on the coffee mugs.

_I don't hang around you just to annoy you. I don't ride out to murder scenes in the middle of the night to satisfy some morbid curiosity. If that's all this was, I would've quit a long time_

_We can always just cuddle_

_Most people come up against a wall, they give up. Not you. You don't let go. You don't back down. That makes you extraordinary_

_Shut the front door!_

_Your secret's safe with me_

_Every morning I bring you a cup of coffee, just so I can see a smile on your face. Because I think you are the most remarkable, maddening, challenging, frustrating, person I've ever met_

_I almost died and all I could think about was you_

_You're not alone in this. I'm here_

_I know I never would have gotten this far without you_

_Well, if it's any comfort to you, I do know mouth-to-mouth._

_This is me…softly touching your face, pulling you in for a long, slow kiss_

_Caskett? Ooh, that's good 'cause of the whole murder thing, casket_

_Okay, yes. I was a sci-fi loving, costume wearing geek. And you know what? Not ashamed of it or of Nebula-9. Despite what you think, it was an awesome show. _(This one made her laugh extremely louder)

_Are you here to annoy me?_

_She's not naked. She's holding a gun… strategically_

_Actually in my dream you're never jealous, in my dreams you just join in_

_Hey! I can buy you a pony!_

_I mean it. You are extraordinary_

_Why, Detective Beckett. I had no idea you were a romantic_

_You're such a metrosexual_

_I'm here to protect you_

_If you are not comfortable in a swimming suit you can just skinny dip_

_I respect the universe_

_All the songs make sense_

_If you don't believe in even the possibility of magic, you'll never find it._

Each and every one of those sentences, she remembered them all. What they meant then, what they mean now, and just how much she loves him. For this, and for everything.

"Thank you, Castle." She said, giving him a long kiss.

"You're welcome, love." He said, pulling her to his lap "And welcome to twenty five to always."

…

**Author's Note: So, whatcha think? Please leave a review to let me know! **


	2. Chapter 2

Day Two

"Ka-ate!" Rick called. He'd been trying to wake her up for the past half hour, to no avail. It was almost seven, and given that she had to be at work by nine, she wouldn't be able to get her gifts if she didn't get up, stat. "Is it gonna be like this every day?" He asked, but really didn't think she was listening.

"Perhaps if we could do this at night, it wouldn't be so hard." She said, her face still buried in her pillow. Mornings killed her, they always did. They were too bright, too cold, and happened way too early for her liking. Still, she managed to be on a good mood when she woke up, IF and only IF, she woke up by herself. Alarm clocks were fine too, but people… she just couldn't stand anyone that early.

"Oh, come on, cranky pants. Come see your gift." Rick took her by the hand and led her to the living room, only letting go of it when they reached the couch "Please sit, milady." He said, walking towards the study. Kate didn't protest, considering that she could take a nap on the couch.

He came back not two minutes later, holding a pile of seemingly old books. "Let me explain today's gift." He said, setting down the pile of books on the coffee table. "Remember when you told me what your favorite books were?" He asked, and Kate nodded. She was still half-asleep, but doing her best to pay attention to what he was saying. "Well, I know you already own them all." He said "But I wanted something special, so I narrowed down autographed copies of four of your favorite books." He said, picking up the first book from the pile. _The Old Man and The Sea _it was, Kate's all-time favorite. She almost lost her breath when she saw it. No, he couldn't have. The book did look old and used, but could it be? Could it be signed by Hemingway himself? He handed her the book, and she studied every part of it with her fingers. The leather cover, the beautiful letters, the yellowed pages. She slowly opened the book and there it was. Hemingway's signature, written in the fading paper. She flipped the pages carefully, making sure every page remained in its place.

"Castle, how did you get this?" She asked, amazed. It couldn't have been easy. It was probably expensive too, shit.

"I got it five years ago, bidding. I never thought I'd have the courage to give it to someone." He said "But when you told me you loved this book, I knew I was saving it for you all along." He continued, walking towards the book pile. No, it wasn't possible, Kate thought. It wasn't possible that there was more.

"Castle, I don't even know what to say, I mean…" She said, holding the book close to her heart, with both hands.

"Thank you is just fine." He said, planting a soft kiss on her lips.

"Thank you." She said, setting the book on her lap and watching him as he walked around the living room, carrying the second book of her series of gifts.

"Okay, round two. Round-faced little boy." Rick said, giving her a small paper cover book. She recognized it immediately. The hot pink cover with a blonde little boy was hard to miss. "My love, David says hello."

She looked at the book, not believing it. It was the first edition of David Copperfield – the Dickens novel, not the magician. It was gorgeous, but so old and ragged that the paint in the cover was already on her fingertips. She didn't even need to open this one to see the signature. She could see it, in delicate black letters, right in the cover.

"Oh my god, Castle." Kate said, looking at the two books he'd just given her. They would be enough for today, enough for this Christmas, enough for forever. But she knew better, so she waited for the next book.

"Here you go." He said, handing her a thin teal book. "The key to your heart." He joked. "Ed Beaumont meets the lovely Kate Beckett." He said, making his best impersonation of Alan Ladd he could manage.

"Good grief. Wow." She said, as her fingers slid through the title _The Glass Key_. Her favorite Hammett novel. "This is…"

"Wait for the last one, darling." He said, handing her the last book in the pile. The copy was old. Really old. Old as in you can't read the title. She opened the book, which revealed a signature she couldn't quite recognize. She turned another page, and there it was. The book title. Huckleberry Finn, signed by Mark Twain himself. Kate's eyes widened as she looked at the signature, then at the set of books she'd just gotten. There was no one in the world who knew her better than Richard Castle. And she couldn't be happier.

"Castle, thank you. I can't even say how grateful I am…" Kate said, her voice shaky.

"You don't have to say anything." He said "Our mouths work better together anyway." He whispered in her ear.

**Author's Note: Catching up! Please review? **


	3. Chapter 3

Day Three

Kate heard her alarm clock ring surprisingly early on that December three morning. For a while, she imagined what was happening. She looked at her side. No Rick. She was still in his loft, of course, but he was nowhere to be seen. She stopped the alarm and slowly got off the bed. Her slippers were cold, her robe was cold, everything was cold. The cold weather made her cranky, and she wished with all of her heart that Rick hadn't planned anything outdoorsy. She walked inside the kitchen, and startled when she saw him standing there, finishing a plate of pancakes.

"Morning, Kate." He said, his mouth full of strawberries "Did you sleep well?" He asked, swallowing the last piece of strawberry.

"Very well, thanks." She said, taking a seat where her own plate of pancakes lied. She looked at the plate, and the word 'Always' was written over a couple of pancakes, in chocolate syrup. A few strawberries formed a heart around the pancakes. A smile appeared on her face as she examined every bit of the plate, picking up her fork and popping a strawberry into her mouth "It's gorgeous, Rick." She said, touching his hand "Thank you."

"You're welcome, love." He said. She didn't say anything, but she loved when he called her that. It was much better than any other pet name, and Katie was for her dad only. She didn't have a nickname for him, as Castle was the only name that sounded appropriate. Except… well, she called him Rick in bed. Often.

"I like today's gift. It's short and sweet." She said, cutting up a piece of pancake and taking it to her mouth.

"Oh, that's not today's entire gift." He said, getting up from the counter and placing his plate and utensils on the sink. "Now wrap it up, we have one more before you head down to the precinct."

"I should've known you wouldn't be so subtle." She said, getting up from the counter and also taking her plate to the sink. "Gimme."

"Okay, I need you to sit over there." He said, gesturing towards the couch. "And wait." He said, walking towards the office. Once inside, he picked up his MacBook and a small notebook, whose cover read 'Always. K&R.', which he got personalized. He walked back to the living room, setting the MacBook on the coffee table and giving her the notebook.  
"Rick, this is beautiful." She said, opening the notebook before he could stop her.

"No!" he yelled, yanking the notebook off her hands. "Sorry. You just need the actual gift first."

"Okay." She said, looking at him oddly. "What is it?"

"Well, it's a playlist." He said, sitting next to her and pulling the MacBook to his lap.

"Based on our relationship?" She asked, smiling at him.

"Sort of." He answered "Today is 'Always' day. Our key word, my favorite word, and the theme for today."

"Oh, I get it now." She said.

"Can I start?" He asked.

"Go for it."

He pressed play on his iTunes screen, and a Bon Jovi song started.

_This Romeo is bleeding_

_But you can't see his blood_

_It's nothing but some feelings_

_That this old dog kicked up_

She heard, and she knew she had heard that song before, but couldn't quite identify which song was that.

_It's been raining since you left me_

_Now I'm drowning in the flood_

_You see I've always been a fighter_

_But without you I give up_

Bon Jovi, she recognized, but still no song name. Rick was bobbing his head to the sides, following the rhythm of the song.

_I can't sing a love song_

_Like the way it's meant to be_

_Well I guess I'm not that good anymore_

_But babe that's just me_

_And I will love you, baby, always_

_And I'll be there, forever and a day, always_

_I'll be there till the stars don't shine_

_Till the heavens burst and the words don't rhyme_

_I know when I die, you'll be on my mind_

_And I love you, always_

Ahh, she remembered it now. 'Always'. It did make sense, and she felt rather stupid.

"Next one." Rick said, pressing next on the player.

_Maybe I didn't treat you _

_Quite as good as I should have _

_Maybe I didn't love you _

_Quite as often as I could have _

_Little things I should have said and done _

_I just never took the time_

This one she knew fairly well. It was her mother's favorite song, and hearing it still brought a tear to her eye. It was Elvis' "Always on My Mind".

_You were always on my mind _

_You were always on my mind_

"Always." He mouthed to her, before pressing next one more time.

_Always and forever_

_Each moment with you_

_Is just like a dream to me_

_That somehow came true, yeah_

A man sang, but Kate was sure she'd never heard him before.

_And I know tomorrow_

_Will still be the same_

_'Cause we got a life of love_

_That won't ever change and_

_Everyday love me your own special way_

"I'm sorry, I don't recognize it." She said, giving him an apologetic smile.

"I didn't expect you to." He said, squeezing her hand. "It's Luther Vandross' "Always and Forever". Alexis' favorite."

"It's a great song."

"It is." He said "Okay, here goes the last one."

_You are always in my heart_

_Even though you're far away_

_I can hear the music of_

_The song of love_

_I sang with you_

_You are always in my heart_

_And when skies above are grey_

_I remember that you care_

_And then and there_

_The sun breaks through_

It took Kate a second to recognize the song, before realizing it was "You are always in my heart", but in a different version that the one she knew.

_Just before I go to sleep_

_there's a rendezvous I keep_

_And a dream I always meet_

_Helps me forget were far apart_

_I don't know exactly when, dear,_

_But I'm sure we'll meet again, dear,_

_And my darling, till we do_

_You are always in my heart!_

Before the song ended, she kissed him passionately, running her hands through his hair. "Thank you, Castle. And Always, means everything to me."

"I know." He whispered "Me too."

…

Kate had been staring at the white board for almost an hour. Suddenly, she noticed a small word written in the the corner of the board. She couldn't really tell what was written from far, so she got up from her desk to try to read it more closely.

"Always." It read, in tiny black letters. "Castle", she thought, just as her phone beeped.  
"John Lennon's Memorial, Central Park. 3:25 pm." It read. It was almost three fifteen, so she grabbed her coat and went out the door.

…

3:37 pm, Central Park

Kate had just arrived, and couldn't see Rick anywhere. Not five minutes later, he arrived, wearing a shirt that read "Always" and carrying two coffee cups.

"Hello, dear." He said, handing her one of the coffee cups and planting a soft kiss on her lips. The coffee cups also read "Always", and the word started to seem a bit redundant.

"You are SO cheesy." She said, grabbing his hand. "Where to, now?"

"Oh, darling. Why go anywhere? We'll just sit here." He said, sitting down, cross legged, next to the peace symbol with "Imagine" written in the middle. "Sit with me?"

"Always." She said, sitting next to him.


End file.
